Summer Starts At The Baker House

Memorial Day weekend in the Hamptons has always carried a certain electricity. It is the unofficial turning of the page, when the East End slips into summer mode and familiar faces begin to gather again over cocktails, conversation, and garden-party ease. This season, that opening note was struck at The Baker House 1650, where philanthropist Jean Shafiroff and Antonella Bertello, owner of the historic East Hampton inn, welcomed guests for a Social Summer Hour Soiree.

Held at The Baker House 1650 on Main Street in East Hampton, the gathering brought together friends, supporters, and Hamptons regulars in one of the village’s most distinctive boutique hotel settings. With its historic architecture, intimate atmosphere, and refined sense of hospitality, The Baker House has long been a place where old East Hampton charm meets contemporary luxury. For the holiday weekend event, it provided an elegant backdrop for a relaxed afternoon that celebrated both the arrival of summer and the spirit of community that defines the season.

Jean Shafiroff is widely recognized for her leadership in philanthropy, her work as a volunteer fundraiser, and her long-standing commitment to charitable causes. A humanitarian, television host, writer, and author of Successful Philanthropy: How to Make a Life By What You Give, Shafiroff has built a public life around service and generosity. She serves on the boards of eight charitable organizations and each year chairs numerous charity galas, while also hosting and underwriting events in support of nonprofit organizations. Her work has touched causes ranging from women’s rights and underserved communities to health care and animal welfare.

For Shafiroff, the afternoon at The Baker House 1650 also served as an elegant beginning to a busy Hamptons philanthropic season. This summer, she will be honored by the South Fork Natural History Museum and Nature Center at its 37th Annual Gala Benefit on July 11th, 2026. She is also co-chairing the Halsey House Gala for the Southampton History Museum with Mary Slattery on July 3rd at Halsey House & Garden in Southampton. In addition, LTV Studios will present Shafiroff with the Francis Ann Dougherty Award for Broadcast Philanthropy during the season opening of Hamptons Summer Songbook by the Sea on June 28th.

For Shafiroff, the afternoon at The Baker House 1650 also served as an elegant beginning to a busy Hamptons philanthropic season. This summer, she will be honored by the South Fork Natural History Museum and Nature Center at its 37th Annual Gala Benefit on July 11th, 2026. She is also co-chairing the Halsey House Gala for the Southampton History Museum with Mary Slattery on July 3rd at Halsey House & Garden in Southampton. In addition, LTV Studios will present Shafiroff with the Francis Ann Dougherty Award for Broadcast Philanthropy during the season opening of Hamptons Summer Songbook by the Sea on June 28th.

Born in Lima, Peru, Bertello studied economics, management, and finance at Babson College and is fluent in English and Spanish, with conversational French and Italian. In addition to leading The Baker House, she is a licensed real estate agent with The Corcoran Group and a member of Corcoran’s Multi-Million Dollar Club and President’s Council, working across the New York City, Hamptons, and Miami markets.

Her work has also included design, construction, and interiors for award-winning projects in East Hampton, South Florida, and Latin America. At The Baker House 1650, that background comes through in the property’s polished yet personal approach to hospitality. The inn, already known for its historic setting and elevated guest experience, recently received recognition from Condé Nast Johansens and enters the 2026 summer season with added momentum through its partnership with Hamptons Polo House. The collaboration connects luxury hospitality, equestrian tradition, and the social rhythm of summer on the East End.

Bertello is also a supporter of charitable causes, including cancer research and animal welfare organizations such as the Samuel Waxman Institute for Cancer and Aging, ARF Hamptons, and New York City Second Chance Rescue.

Among the notable attendees were Jean Shafiroff, Antonella Bertello, Michele Heary, Nicole Noonan, Robin Fleming, Will Stokes, Robert Farrier, Eunyoung Song, Mark Seidenfeld, Maria van Vlodrop, Bill Boggs, New York State Assemblywoman Rebecca Seawright, Lucia Hwong Gordon, Jerry Kremer, Susan Kremer, Victoria Wyman, Jim McCartney, Meghan McCartney, and Kim DeGraff.

For more information, visit bakerhouse1650.com and jeanshafiroff.com

Photos: BFA / David Benthal